1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to drum type washing machines and dryers, and more particularly, to control panels for a drum type washing machine and a dryer.
2. Background of the Related Art
In general, the washing machine washes laundry by carrying out washing, rinsing, and spinning cycles according to a preset algorithm, and is sorted as a pulsator type, an agitator type, and a drum type. At first, the drum type washing machine will be described. FIG. 1 illustrates a related art drum type washing machine.
Referring to FIG. 1, the related art drum type washing machine is provided with a body 101, a tub 102 fastened to an inside of the body 101 with dampers (not shown), a drum 103 for carrying out a washing related cycle as the laundry is introduced into the tub 102, and the drum 103 receives a driving force of a motor 110 through a belt 111, and rotated thereby, a thermister 104 for measuring a temperature of a washing water supplied to the drum 103, a detergent box 105 for introducing detergent, a water supply pipe 106 connected to the detergent box, for supplying washing water, mixed with or without the detergent, a discharge pipe 107 for discharging the washing water used in a washing cycle to an outside of the washing machine, and a pump 108 and a discharge hose 109 connected to an end of the discharge pipe 107 for forced discharge of the washing water.
The operation of the drum type washing machine will be described.
The user opens a door (not shown) on a front part of the body 101, introduces laundry, and provides a washing command through a control panel. Then, a controlling part (not shown) detects an amount of laundry, i.e., an amount of cloth in the drum 103, and fills the washing water up to a water level set required for the detected amount of cloth through the water supply pipe 106 via the detergent box 105.
When the washing water is filled to a level higher than a preset level, the motor 110 is put into operation, and the drum 103 is rotated, to progress the washing. Then, upon finishing the washing, the pump 108 is put into operation, to discharge the washing water to an outside of the washing machine through the discharge pipe 107 and the discharge hose 109, and, when the discharge of washing water is finished, rinsing, and spinning cycles are carried out in succession, thereby finishing washing.
In the meantime, a laundry dryer, for automatic drying of wet laundry after finish of washing, has a trend of an increasing demand, recently. FIG. 2 illustrates a related art laundry dryer.
Referring to FIG. 2, the related art dryer is provided with a drying chamber 220 in a case 210, an opening 230 in a front part of the case 210 for introducing laundry into the drying chamber 220, and a door 240 on the opening for opening/closing the opening 230. There is a motor 250 in an upper part of the case 210, so that the drying chamber 220 is receives a driving force from the motor 250 through a drying chamber belt 260, and rotated thereby. There are a plurality of fins 270 on an inside wall of the drying chamber 220 for circulating the laundry during rotation of the drying chamber 220.
In the meantime, there is a circulating duct 280 between a rear surface of the drying chamber 220 and the opening 230, for circulating heated air. Of course, at a position thereof, the circulating duct 280 is provided with a heater 212 for heating the air, and a fan 290 for circulating the heated air. In general, the fan 290 is driven by a motor 250 through a belt 211.
The circulating duct 280 has an external air supply duct 213 for supplying external air during the circulation of the air, and a condensed water discharge duct 214 for discharging condensed water formed during circulation of the air, each connected thereto.
The operation of the dryer will be described.
The user opens the door 240, introduces laundry intended to dry into the drying chamber 220, and closes the door 240. If the dryer is put into operation under this state, the motor 250 is started, to rotate the drying chamber 220. In this instance, the laundry is circulated as the laundry is lifted by the fins 270 on an inside surface of the drying chamber 220, and falls down by gravity.
In the meantime, since the rotating force of the motor 250 is transmitted, not only to the drying chamber 220, but also to the fan 290, air circulates through the circulating duct 280, and heated by the heater 212. Accordingly, the heated air supplied to the drying chamber evaporates moisture form the laundry in the drying chamber, thereby drying the laundry.
As described above, since the fan 290 keeps running when the air circulates, and dries the laundry, the external air is supplied to the air circulating duct 280 through the external air supply duct 213 connected to an outside of the dryer. Therefore, the circulating air, and the supplied external air are mixed together, and circulates, and the moisture in the air circulating along the circulating duct 280 is condensed, and discharged to an outside of the dryer through the condensed water discharge duct 214.
Since people in Europe, the USA, Canada, and etc., prefer separate use of the drum type washing machine and the dryer, in most of cases, the drum type washing machine, and the dryer are installed side by side.
In recent preference of home appliances, not only functions of products, but also outer appearances are very important factors, and, accordingly, it is recent trend that manufacturers put much efforts on improving an overall, or partial sense of beauty of the product.
In light of this trend, for a case the drum type washing machine and the dryer are installed side by side, the drum type washing machine and the dryer are manufactured in variety of forms, not only taking a functional aspect, but also the sense of beauty into account.
However, as described before, the related art drum type washing machine and dryer have the following problems.
First, even if the related art drum type washing machine and dryer are installed side by side, operation of the related art drum type washing machine and dryer are controlled separately with respective key operation parts, it has not been convenient for the user to understand the operation states at a look.
Second, since the related art drum type washing machine and dryer are installed side by side, which are manufactured without paying attention to harmony, the outer appearance is poor.
Third, even when positions of the related art drum type washing machine and dryer are exchanged due to gas pipe to the dryer, or other reasons, inconvenience of the user is caused.